Texas 2025 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB668 Analysis / Analysis

Filed 03/24/2025

                    BILL ANALYSIS             H.B. 668     By: Bell, Cecil     Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs     Committee Report (Unamended)             BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE    Under current law, a law-abiding handgun license holder who forgets to renew the license by the license's expiration date must undergo the application process for a new handgun license. This process involves complying with all of the requirements applicable to new applicants, including handgun proficiency training, fingerprinting, and identity documentation submissions, all of which are already on file for a renewal applicant. H.B. 668 seeks to prevent this from occurring by establishing a grace period after the expiration of a handgun license during which a license holder can renew the license.       CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT   It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.       RULEMAKING AUTHORITY    It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.       ANALYSIS    H.B. 668 amends the Government Code to establish a one-year grace period after the expiration date of a handgun license during which the license holder may still renew the license. The bill applies to a handgun license that expires before, on, or after the bill's effective date.       EFFECTIVE DATE    On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.                            

BILL ANALYSIS

# BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

H.B. 668
By: Bell, Cecil
Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)

H.B. 668

By: Bell, Cecil

Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE    Under current law, a law-abiding handgun license holder who forgets to renew the license by the license's expiration date must undergo the application process for a new handgun license. This process involves complying with all of the requirements applicable to new applicants, including handgun proficiency training, fingerprinting, and identity documentation submissions, all of which are already on file for a renewal applicant. H.B. 668 seeks to prevent this from occurring by establishing a grace period after the expiration of a handgun license during which a license holder can renew the license.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT   It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY    It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS    H.B. 668 amends the Government Code to establish a one-year grace period after the expiration date of a handgun license during which the license holder may still renew the license. The bill applies to a handgun license that expires before, on, or after the bill's effective date.
EFFECTIVE DATE    On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

 

Under current law, a law-abiding handgun license holder who forgets to renew the license by the license's expiration date must undergo the application process for a new handgun license. This process involves complying with all of the requirements applicable to new applicants, including handgun proficiency training, fingerprinting, and identity documentation submissions, all of which are already on file for a renewal applicant. H.B. 668 seeks to prevent this from occurring by establishing a grace period after the expiration of a handgun license during which a license holder can renew the license.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY 

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

 

ANALYSIS 

 

H.B. 668 amends the Government Code to establish a one-year grace period after the expiration date of a handgun license during which the license holder may still renew the license. The bill applies to a handgun license that expires before, on, or after the bill's effective date.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE 

 

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.